I have not had ghee or butter in months because I am going all dairy free. However, I think I need something to help my tummy. I feel as if maybe some fat will help, is ghee a good choice?

I think my body needs some fat because I also have not had any beef in about 3 weeks... I feel lighter, but something is off. Pretty much, hemp, flax and a little bit of olive oil have been my fats, and I cut back to see if I would feel a little better and maybe shed my last few pounds.

Well, that did not work, I am still about the same. This may be where I my body feels natural and healthy.

Does anyone else feel mentally exhausted from trying to lose weight or is it just me?

Wondering why have you not had beef for 3 weeks? What have you been eating instead? I guess it is probably mentally exhausting trying to lose weight, if you are trying to (pardon the pun) weigh up everything - but really are those last few pounds hanging around, absolutely the cause of the anguish? Sometimes we blame the wrong things on our (perceived) inability to be "perfect"?! I wonder, if you 'could' shift those last few pounds, whether you would still find something to focus your efforts on? Also what weight are you aiming for? Is it a goal you easily achieved/maintained at a much younger age? If so you may need to adjust it now you are approaching 40??!!

Ghee is wonderful. A few people who don't do well on dairy, also avoid ghee. I don't touch cow dairy with a 10 foot pole but ghee and I get along just fine. If I have a day without it, I feel a distinct lack. But it doesn't take a lot. In my case, I follow my SWAMI @ 1 1/2 tsp/day.

Marjorie, are you eating lamb or some other kind of meat?

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.~Mary Jean Irion

Wondering why have you not had beef for 3 weeks? What have you been eating instead? I guess it is probably mentally exhausting trying to lose weight, if you are trying to (pardon the pun) weigh up everything - but really are those last few pounds hanging around, absolutely the cause of the anguish? Sometimes we blame the wrong things on our (perceived) inability to be "perfect"?! I wonder, if you 'could' shift those last few pounds, whether you would still find something to focus your efforts on? Also what weight are you aiming for? Is it a goal you easily achieved/maintained at a much younger age? If so you may need to adjust it now you are approaching 40??!!

Hi

Thanks for the reply. I am around 115-117 at 5'3-almost 5'4. My size is 2 or 4. I guess my issue is that I know if I decrease my portions, I will be around 112ish and that is when I felt awesome just a year ago. Personally, I do not believe in the age factor at all. I was 100-110 pounds for years, but I am not striving to get back there. I do think the last few pounds are not what is bothering me, it is more that I am not happy with myself for eating animals and I am tired of analyzing everything I eat..that is exhausting.

I believe in mindfulness, but I seem to have more energy when I have meat products... now, if i could get past the psychological component all would be great!!!

Ghee is wonderful. A few people who don't do well on dairy, also avoid ghee. I don't touch cow dairy with a 10 foot pole but ghee and I get along just fine. If I have a day without it, I feel a distinct lack. But it doesn't take a lot. In my case, I follow my SWAMI @ 1 1/2 tsp/day.

Marjorie, are you eating lamb or some other kind of meat?

HiI have been eating chicken/turkey and mostly fish. I might try the ghee again, to see if it helps.

believe in mindfulness, but I seem to have more energy when I have meat products...

It's great to be mindful of what you are eating, but you are obsessing over your food and that is not healthful. What does mindfulness have to do with eating meat anyway? Be mindful of how the animal was cared for.

“Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It’s perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday.”

It's great to be mindful of what you are eating, but you are obsessing over your food and that is not healthful. What does mindfulness have to do with eating meat anyway? Be mindful of how the animal was cared for.

Good point on the obsessing, nope, not healthy at all. Counterproductive, actually.

Being mindful and thinking about the food itself, like u said where it came from and all. I guess the thought of killing animals makes me upset, but I am at a point where I need to just eat and not stress about everything. Also, mother made some good points about overtraining.. and starvation mode.

Mindfulness has alot to do with eating meat because if you think about it, killing is not a very nice act, regardless of the reason. However, I am sure my body is telling me something if I do not feel right, so I need to listen to it.

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Type Os do need red meat to thrive. Not all of us need large portions, but it does need to be part of a healthful diet. Buy the highest quality you can afford, from well-treated, naturally fed animals.

Cutting out all dairy for a few weeks is reasonable- but now's the time to re-introduce ghee and see how your body tolerates it. Many people who can't tolerate dairy do just fine on ghee. Even some people with dairy allergies can handle ghee.

As for the extra few pounds, what's your exercise routine like? Exercise is like another food group for Os, we just don't do well without it.

You are right, killing something is never pleasant (unless you are psychopathic I suppose), so focus on well cared for animals and be sure to thank them for the sacrifice they made to help you be healthy. Healthy animal meats are a great source of CLA.

“Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It’s perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday.”

Mindfulness has alot to do with eating meat because if you think about it, killing is not a very nice act, regardless of the reason.

Do you have the same qualms about eating lettuce, cabbage, onions, etc?

The principle is the same between eating all of your vegetables and meats. You are interrupting the normal progression of life in both cases. For instance, every onion or carrot that you eat never has a chance to produce seeds. Many plants and animals are grown specifically to be used for food, which makes it much easier for each of us outside the "farming industry" to get what we need to to sustain our bodies. Life would be very much different for all of us if we each had to find our own food each day.

I bought some ghee recently after reading about it here on the forum, but I must confess I don't really know what to do with it. With butter, I usually take it out of the fridge and set it out for a while so it gets soft and spreadable, but ghee seems to maintain a hard consistency whether it's cold or room temp. How do y'all like to eat it? How do you use it?

Sorry for my questions, but I'd never even heard of ghee prior to my time here.

I make my own ghee from organic cultured butter. The ghee sits out on the counter, and the consistency varies according to the season. Here in NM, it's hot in the summer and snows in the winter, so the ghee will be runnier in summer.

I use ghee to fry eggs, I add it where ever someone would use butter (even on toast, but I confess, I do add sea salt because I don't care for the taste of unsalted butter on toast).

There are threads on the forums that tell all about ghee and how to make it yourself.

“Those who say it can’t be done need to get out of the way of those who are doing it.”

... but ghee seems to maintain a hard consistency whether it's cold or room temp. How do y'all like to eat it? How do you use it?

I make my own ghee as well, and it never sees the frig. I keep it in pint jars in a cupboard. During winter it is usually softly solid; During summer it is mostly liquid.

I use it for any frying that needs some added fat, eggs, beef liver and onions, etc... We also use it as a butter replacement in baking, although you need to reduce the amount by 10 to 25% depending on the recipe...

Chud,Please check the label and make sure of the ingredients. There are a few brands of ghee that have added ingredients that might keep the ghee solid and that is not true ghee.

Everyone has their own favorite technique for making ghee - some bake it in the oven, some use the stovetop. Here is my method:

How to make ghee:

Place 1 pound unsalted butter in a one-quart heavy-bottom saucepan over low heat. Allow to melt completely. When the butter starts to release its water content, lower heat to the lowest simmer and cook slowly for about 10 to 45 minutes. Cooking time depends on individual stoves and the thickness of the pot which is used. And different brands of butter take different lengths of time. Longer cooking at lower heat produces a good flavor.

At first, there will be a lot of white foam on the surface, and the ghee will be noisy. The foam is the milk separating out from the butter oil. Gradually, the water will evaporate, the milk solids will drop to the bottom of the pot, the foam will begin to thin, the cooking sounds will become quiet and the sediment in the pan will begin to darken. At this point, it can burn quickly so keep tilting the pan to check the color of the sediment.

The ghee is done when the ghee is very quiet, the aroma will be somewhat like popcorn and the milk solids at the bottom of the pan have turned light golden brown, like beer or honey. If the sediment turns dark brown, the ghee has cooked too long, but is still usable.

Remove pan from heat, let cool for a few minutes, then pour it through a fine stainless steel mesh strainer into a clean glass jar or bowl and discard the sediment. Leave the lid off until the ghee has cooled. This helps to prevent condensation.

Ghee can be stored at room temperature if kept very clean and dry. If water or food gets into the ghee, it can mold, otherwise it has a long shelf-life.

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.~Mary Jean Irion